Adjustable price setting mechanism for a vending machine



June 30, 1964 F. A. WITTERN 3,139,167

ADJUSTABLE PRICE SETTING MECHANISM FOR A VENDING MACHINE Filed 001;. 8, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 zNvENfoR.

June 30, 1964 A. WITTERN ADJUSTABLE PRICE SETTING MECHANISM FOR A VENDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 8, 1962 E N6 MK MN N mlm INVENTOR.

fPfl/Vd/J F. 17/7725? June 30, 1964 F. A WITTERN ADJUSTABLE PRICE. SETTING MECHANISM FOR A VENDING MACHINE INVENTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 8,

1107/1/55! WORM/4 6, 79/41 753 June 30, 1964 F. A. WITTERN ADJUSTABLE PRICE. SETTING MECHANISM FOR A VENDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 8, 1962 J 7 ii m \O\ 1///// IN VEN TOR.

,4, WIT/1? F7 7 ORA/5V6 United States Patent 3,139,167 ADJUSETABLE PRICE SETTING MECHANISM FOR A VENDING MACHINE Francis A. Wittern, Des Moines, Iowa, assignor to Fawn Engineering Company, Des Moines, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Get. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 229,058 7 Claims. (Cl. 194-1) The present invention relates to a mechanical control system for vending machines and more particularly to an adjustable control linkage for vending machines which is adjustably movable to a position providing for its actuation in response to a predetermined monetary sum of coins inserted into the coin receiving mechanism of the vending machine.

It is the object of the invention to provide an improved control linkage for vending machines which is adjustably movable toa position enabling its actuation in response to information produced by a coin receiving mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vending machine control linkage which is operable to enable the machine to vend a high priced and a low priced article.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved structure in a vending machine for varying the price settings or costs of vended articles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a vending machine control linkage which is readily adjustable to vary the price difference between a high and low priced vendable article and is adjustable to vary the price range between the high and low priced vendable article.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vending machine control system which is operable in response to monetary coins to permit the machine to be operated to separately vend articles having different monetary values.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of controlling the operation of a vending machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a smooth acting, relatively inexpensive and durable control linkage for machines adapted to separately vend a plurality of high and low priced articles.

According to the invention, the vending control system for article vending machines comprises a coin operated means which produces information indicative of the value of the coins inserted therein. An adjustable linkage means responsive to the information produced by the coin operated means is operably associated with high and low priced article vending members of the machine to selectively lock the vending members in a non-vending position in accordance with the value of the coins inserted in the coin operated means whereby the machine functions to separately vend either a high or low priced article. The linkage means includes a first lever means and a second lever means, each of which is operably associated with the vending members to selectively hold the members in a non-vending position. The first lever means is retained in an inoperative position in response to low price information produced by the coin operated means thereby permitting the low priced vending member to be moved to a vending position. The first lever means and second lever means are retained in an inoperative position in response to high price information produced by the coin operated means thereby permitting the high priced vending member to be moved to a vending position. The linkage means is adjustable relative to the coin operated means to regulate the monetary difference and range between the low and high priced article.

The exact nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will be readily apparent from the consideration of the following specification relating to the annexed drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation view of an article vending machine and control linkage therefor constructed according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view taken along the line 33 of a portion of the machine shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an elevation view of the control linkage of the vending machine taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an elevation view of a part of the control linkage of the vending machine taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective View of the adjustment structure for the slotted guide bracket for the lever holding rods of the control linkage;

FIGURE 7 is an elevation view of the control linkage of the invention showing the relationship of the locking parts prior to the deposit of coins in the coin operated mechanism;

FIGURE 8 is an elevation view of the control linkage of the invention showing the relationship of the locking parts in the vending of a low priced article;

FIGURE 9 is an elevation view showing the position of the coin information cam relative to the lever control rods when a high priced article is to be vended;

FIGURES 10 and 11 are elevation views of the control linkage of the invention showing the relationship of the locking parts after the vending operation has been completed; and

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a modified slotted guide bracket for the lever holding rods of the control linkage of the invention.

The corresponding structure throughout the several views of the drawing are identified with the same reference numbers.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing there is shown an article vending machine 20 having a frame which includes a pair of horizontally spaced and vertically extending side plates 21 and 22. A channel-shaped member 23 is secured at each end to one of the side plates so that the web 24 thereof extends horizontally between the side plates. The front flange 26 of member 23 extends downward and contains a plurality of horizontally spaced and rectangular shaped holes 27. The number of holes corresponds to the number of separate articles to be vended. As shown in FIGURE 3, the web 24 is provided with laterally extended slots 28 each of which is in alignment with a corresponding one of the separate holes 27 of the flange 26.

An array or series of rectangular shaped article storing guides or chutes 29 are vertically disposed over the rear portion of the member 23. The guides are adjustably secured as a group to the side plates 21 and 22 by means of angle brackets 31 and bolts 32 and correspond in number to the number of separate articles vended (FIG. 1). The lower end of each guide is disposed above a slot 28 and has an opening 33 in the rear wall through which the articles 34 are dispensed (FIG. 2).

The articles 34 are pushed from the lower ends of the guides 29 by associated parallel vending members or pull rods 36 and 37 slidably supported in the channelshaped member 23. When a rod 36 is operated a low priced article is vended and when rod 37 is operated a high priced article is vended. The selective operation a of the respective rods will be hereinafter fully described.

The rod 37 is positioned below web 24 and extends through a hole 27 and has a T-shaped upwardly extending projecting 38 at its rear end (FIGS. 2 and 3). The body 40 of the T extends through the slot 28 and the lower surfaces of the cross bar 45 of the T engage the upper surface of the web 24. The body of the T guides the rod 37 for reciprocal movement in the slot 28.

A pawl 39 is pivoted at its center to the projection 38 of the rod 37 by a pin 41 which extends normal to the longitudinal direction of the slot. The front arm 42 of the pawl 39 is substantially heavier than the rear arm 43 and is angularly offset therefrom. As a result, the forward end of the front arm 42 normally engages the top surface of the web 24 when the chute 29 does not contain at least one article. When the rod 37 is moved to its normal rear position or in position as shown in FIGURE 2 and when the guide 29 does not contain at least one article, the arm 42 will engage stops 44 on the web 24. In other words, the rod 37 is locked in its normal in position by the pawl 39 when the guide 29 does not contain articles to be dispensed.

As shown in FIGURE 2 by the dotted lines, the pawl 39 is pivoted to a substantially horizontal position by the weight of article 34. The arm 42 is thus moved from engagement with the stops 44 permitting movement of the rod 37 to the out position.

When the rod 37 is pulled by the customer to the out position the pawl 39 is moved out from under the articles 34 and pivots in a counterclockwise direction raising the rear arm 43. When the rod is moved back to the in position, the rear end of the arm 43 engages the front part of the lower article 34 forcing it rearwardly in the direction of the arrow A into a receiving passage 46 where it can be retrieved by the customer.

The rods 36- and 37 are biased to the in position by a horizontal bar 47 which is slidably mounted in horizontal slots 48 and 49 in the side plates 21 and 22 (FIG. 1). The rear edge of the bar 47 engages a downward projection 51 formed on the rear of each of the rods 36 and 37. A pair of upwardly and rearwardly extended arms 52 and 53 are pivotally mounted below the bar 47 to the side plates 21 and 22 by means of horizontal pins 54 and 56.

The upper end of each arm is provided with a longitudinal slot 57 for receiving the edges of the bar 47 so that rotation of the arms 52 and 53 about the pins 54 and 56 permits the bar 47 to be moved in a horizontal plane parallel to the axis of rotation of the arms. A pair of coil springs 58 and 59 surround the pins 54 and 56 and urge the arms 52 and 53 in a rearward direction which is clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 2.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, fiat T-shaped keys 61 are pivotally mounted on a vertical axis on the lower side of the web 24 of the member 23 by rivets 62. A single key'is horizontally positioned between each of the rods so that the curved rearward surface 60 of the head of the key engages the vertical face 63 of the step on the body of adjacent rods. The heads of adjacent keys abut each other and are engageable with the face 63 of a common rod 36 and 37. The heads of the outside keys abut the side plates 21 and 22 so as to limit the pivotal movementof the respective keys as affected by outward movement of one of the rods 36 and 37. The length of the head of a key coupled with the limited pivotal movement of the key enables the keys 61 to lock all the rods, except one, in the in position. In other words, when one rod is pulled to the out position, the keys 61 are pivoted to lock all of the remaining rods in the in position. This locking function of the keys 61 prevents the concurrent movement of more than one of the rods to an out position.

The vending operation of the machine is directly related to the position in which the rods 36 and 37 are held. The movement of the rods 36 and 37 to their out position is controlled by a locking linkage 64 which is released by a coin operated mechanism 66. The mechanism 66 responds to one and more than one denomination of coins to produce position information which is a function of the monetary sum of the coins supplied to the mechanism. In other words for example, if a quarter is inserted into the mechanism it will pro duce low price information. The addition of a nickel will produce high price information. A suitable coin operated mechanism 66 is manufactured under the name of a SCS Accumulator or Totalizer by the National Register Company, of St. Louis, M0.

The mechanism 66 includes a coin receiving chute 67, a position output cam 68, and a re-set trip finger 69 (FIG. 1). The angular rotated position of the cam 68 relative to its normal rest or home position is a function of the monetary sum of the coins inserted into the coin receiving chute 67. Thus on the placement of coins in the chutes 67, the cam 68 is rotated from its home position to a moved position depending upon the monetary value of the coins. In the Totalizer available from the National Register Company the cam 68 is moved in equal angular increments for each five cent value. Actuation of the trip finger 69 permits the cam 68 to rotate back to its initial or home position.

The cam 68 releases a first lever means 71 and a second lever means 72 to control the separate vending op ration of the machine. The first lever means 71 is pivoted on a horizontal axis to the side plate 22 by a pin 73. The first lever means 71 extends rearwardly and has a downwardly and rearwardly extended locking abutment 74 adapted to engage the forward side of the bar 47 to limit its outward movement in the slots 48 and 49. The lever 71 has a finger 76 which has a downwardly and rearwardly extending cam surface 77 terminating in a substantially horizontal surface. The cam surface 77 engages the rearward edge of the bar 47 so that the lever 71 is raised to an inoperative position when the bar 47 is in the in position. A tension spring 78 is. secured to the finger 76 and the side plate 22 to bias the lever 71 into engagement with the plate 47. An upwardly extending lever holding rod 79 is pivotally mounted at its. lower end to the lever 71 by means of a bolt 81. The rod 79 is provided with a laterally extending finger 80 which engages the coin information cam 68 which is positioned to represent low price information.

A guide bracket 82 having vertically extended slots 83 is adjustably mounted on the side plate 22 by means of a pair of screws 84 inserted through a horizontal slot 87 into an indicator plate 86 (see FIGURE 6). The horizontal position of the guide bracket 82 determines the amount of arcuate movement of the information cam 68 which is necessary to control the locking linkage 64. The horizontal position of the indicator plate 86 can be changed in accordance with the desired indexed price differentials.

The second lever means 72 is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis on the side plate 22 by means of a pin 88 (FIG. 4). The lever 72 extends horizontally in a forward direction and has a horizontal leg 89, a body 91 and an upwardly directed finger 92 secured to the forward part of the body 91. The finger 92 has an inwardly extended horizontal projection 93 the purpose of which will be described hereinafter in detail. The recess formed between the leg 89 and the body 91 contains an upwardly and rearwardly extending cam surface 94 and a downwardly and rearwardly extending cam surface 96 connected to a rearwardly extending fiat horizontal surface 97. When the bar 47 is biased in the in position the lever 72'is moved to a raised position by the action of the rearward edge of the bar 47 on the cammed surface 96 and is held in the raised position by the flat surface 97. A tension spring 98 interconnects the terminal portion of the leg 89 with the side plate 22 to bias the lever 72 in a downward direction.

An upwardly extending lever holding rod 99 is pivotally connected to the body 91 of the lever 72 by means of a screw 101. The upper part of the rod 99 includes a horizontal finger 102 which extends through the forward slot 83 of the bracket 82 and is engageable with that portion of the outer surface of the coin information cam 68 which represents high price information. The finger 80 of the rod 79 extends through the rear slot 83 of the bracket 82 and is engageable with that portion of the cam 68 which represents low price information.

As shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 4 and 5, a bar 103 extends horizontally across the forward upper edge of the channel-shaped member 23 and is pivoted in triangularshaped openings 104 and 106 in the side plates 21 and 22 for pivotal movement about its rear edge. An upwardly extending arm 107 is secured to the upper surface of the plate 103 adjacent the locking linkage 64. As shown in FIGURE 4 the arm 107 has a notch in its rear side for receiving the projection 93 of the lever 72. The projection 93 extends through a parallelogram-shaped opening 109 in the side plate 22 and moves into and out of engagement with the arm 107 in response to the armate movement of the lever 72. The cam surfaces 94 and 96 when engaged by the edges of the plate 47 determine the arcuate movement of the lever 72. The locking action between the arm 107 and the lever 72 is carried forward to the rods 37 by the use of an angular tab 111 secured to the upper surface of the plate 103 by means of screws 112. The angular tab 111 can be selectively positioned adjacent the rods 36 and 37 by moving the screw 112 into another threaded hole in the plate 103 to provide the various stations of the vending machine with a high price rod or vending member.

The angular position of the plate 103 is controlled by an arm 113. As shown in FIGURE 5 the arm 113 has a rearwardly and upwardly extending body 114 interconnecting a rearwardly and downwardly extending leg 116 and a right angular projection 117. The projection 117 lies adjacent the lower surface of the outer end of the plate 103 and is secured thereto by means of a bolt 118. A U-shaped tab 119 having an upwardly extending leg is secured by means of the bolt 118 to the plate 103. The tension spring 121 is interconnected between the tab 119 and the plate 21 and functions to pivot the plate 103 upwardly about its rear edge. The terminal portion of the leg 116 engages the plate 47 and holds the plate 103 in a horizontal position when the plate 47 is in the in position.

In order to prevent the reverse operation of the control linkages of the vending machine there is provided a reversible one-way positive brake 122 which prevents reverse motion of the rods during their operation between the in and out positions. In other words, the selected rod 36 or 37 must be moved to the out position before it can be moved back to the in position thereby preventing the vending of more than one article.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the brake 122 consists of a slide 123 having a longitudinally extending slot 124, a longitudinally extending rack 126 and a downwardly extending fork 127. The slide 123 is mounted for horizontal movement on the side plate 22 by means of a guide bracket 128 and a pin 129 extending through the slot 124. The downwardly extending fork 127 extends over the plate 47 and forms a driving connection therebetween. A pawl 131 is rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis extending normal to the plane of movement of the rack 126 by means of a bolt 132. The pawl engages the rack 126 when the plate 47 is moved from the in position to the out position and prevents reverse motion during the path of movement between these positions. A spring 133 connected to a projection on the pawl 131 and the side plate 22 biases the pawl to a vertical position. When the bar 47 is in the out position the pawl 131 enters a recess 134 rearwardly of the rack 126 and is biased in a vertical position by the spring 133. This action permits the movement of the rack and the bar 47 from the out position back into the in position and prohibits movement back to the on position after the movement from the in position has commenced.

As shown in FIGURE 4 the coordination of the in and out movement of the rods 36 and 37 with the re-setting of the coin operated mechanism 66 is accomplished by a pair of levers 136 and 137 operatively connected to the slide 123 so that when the slide is moved to the out position the lever 137 will trigger the trip finger 69 thereby re-setting the coin operated mechanism. The lever 136 is pivotally mounted by means of a bolt 138 to the rear portion of the slide 123. The upper end of the lever 136 has a longitudinally extending slot 139. A bolt 141 extending through the slot 139 slidably mounts the lever 136 on the side plate 22. The lever 137 is rotatably mounted by means of a bolt 142 to the side plate 22 and has a forward portion adapted to be moved into engagement with the trip finger 69 and a resilient tail 143 which engages a tab portion 144 on the lever 136. As shown in FIGURE 4, when the slide 123 is moved to the out position the lever 136 is rotated in a clockwise direction moving the tab 144 in an upward direction. The upward movement of the tab 144 rotates the lever 137 in a counterclockwise direction whereby the forward portion of the lever 137 engages the trip finger 69 thereby effecting a re-set of the coin operated mechanism 66.

The initial angular position of the coin information cam 68 prior to the insertion of a coin in the mechanism 66 is shown in FIGURE 7. The rods 36 and 37 are locked in the in position by the levers 71 and 72. The locking abutment 74 the lever 71 engages the forward surface of the bar 47 restricting the movement thereof to the out position. The second lever 72 engages the arm 107 through the projection 93 to hold the angular tab 111 in the path of movement of the face 63 of the step in the rod 37. The lever 71 stops the outward movement of the bar 47 before the pawl 131 engages the rack 126 of the one-way positive brake 122 thereby allowing the springs 58 to move the plate 47 back to the in position as shown in FIGURE 4.

After a suflicient number of coins have been deposited in the coin operated mechanism equal to the monetary sum of the low priced article the coin information cam 68 is angularly moved to the position shown in FIG- URES 4 and 8. In this position the forward edge of the cam 68 lies adjacent the horizontal finger of the lever holding rod 79 and limits the downward movement of the lever 71. As shown in FIGURE 4 the plate 47 in the in position engages the terminal portion of the finger 76 of the lever 71 holding the lever in an up and inoperative position against the force of the spring 78. The plate 47 also engages the horizontal surface 97 of the second lever 72 to hold this lever in an up" and inoperative position. When the bar 47 is in the in position as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 the terminal portion of the leg 116 of the arm 113, as shown in FIGURE 5, engages the plate 47 to hold the tab 111 in the outward path of movement of the step of the key 37. When the bar 47 is moved toward the out position the lever 72 is moved down by the spring 93 until the plate 47 engages the surface formed between the converging cam surfaces 94 and 96. When the lever 72 is in the lower position shown in FIGURE 8, the projection 93 on the arm 92 engages the arm 107 to hold the tab 111 in the path of movement of the step 63 of the rod 37. The rod 37 cannot be moved to the out position thereby preventing the vending of a high priced article.

The continued movement of the plate 47 toward the ou position moves the projection 93 from the arm 107 by raising the lever 72 by the engagement of the forward edge of the plate 47 with the cammed surface 94. The plate 103 is rotated about its rear edge by the spring 121 to move the tab 111 from the path of movement of the step face 63 of the rod 37. This outward move- 7 ment of the plate 47 is caused by the outward movement of one of the rods 36. As shown in FIGURE 3 when one of the rods 36 or 37 is moved toward the out position the keys 61 lock the remaining rods in the in position. The keys 61 prevent the outward movement of the rod 37 when a low prived article is being vended.

When a high priced article is to be vended additional coins are inserted in the coin operated mechanism 66 to move the coin information cam 68 in the angular position shown in FIGURE 9. In this position the leading edge of the cam 68 is adjacent the horizontal finger 80 of the rod 79 and the horizontal finger 102 of the rod 99. The outer peripheral surface of the cam 68 holds the rods and the first and second levers 71 and 72 in a raised position. When the levers 71 and 72 are held in the raised position, the rod 37 which is indicative of a high priced article can be moved to the out position and returned to the in position to vend the high priced article.

The out position of the bar 47 is shown in FIGURES and 11. In this position the locking function of the linkage 64 has been completed, the coin operated mechanism 66 has been tripped to its re-set position by the action of the levers 136 and 137 on the finger 69. When the slide 123 is in the out position the rotatable pawl 131 is adjacent the recess 134 and is moved in a vertical reversed position by the spring 133 thus permitting the slide 123 to move back to the in position. The tab 111 is held out of engagement with the key 37 by the force of the spring 121 acting on the bar 1193. As shown in FIGURE 11 the bar 47 engages the lower surface of the arm 11:; to control the angular position of the bar 103. Movement of the bar 47 from the out position to the in position rotates the plate 103 about its rear end edge thereby moving the locking tab 111 in the path of movement of the step 63 of the rod 37.

The modified rod guide bracket 146 shown in FIGURE 12 contains a plurality of vertical slots 147 for receiving the horizontal fingers 80 and 102 of the rods 79 and 99. The additional vertical slots permit the fingers 80 and 102 to be adjusted relative to each other. The distance between the rods 79 and 99 is adjustable. This adjustment enables the control linkage to function in response to different price differentials between the high priced article and the low priced article. This difference may be five, ten or fifteen cents.

The vending machine has a removable front panel (not shown) which when removed exposes all the structure between the side plates 21 and 22. As shown in FIGURE 1, the screws 84 which secure the guide bracket 82 and indicator plate 86 to the plate 22 are readily released enabling the quick adjustment of the bracket and indicator plate. Thus the price range of the articles to be vended can be changed with a single and simple adjustment. The angular tab 111 and fastening screw 112 therefor, being exposed, can be selectively positioned on the plate 103 adjacent the rods 36 and 37 according to the price of the articles vended by movement of the rod.

While there have been shown, described, and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, changes in form and details of the control linkage illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A mechanical control system for a vending machine having a frame and high and low priced article vending members comprising:

(a) coin operated means having a cam rotatable in response to monetary coins inserted therein to produce low and high priced information which is a function of the angular position of the cam,

(17) first lever means including a lever holding rod,

said means being operably connected to the article vending members to releasably lock said members in a non-vending position in response to both the low and high priced information,

(c) first pivot means mounting the first lever means on a horizontal axis to the frame,

(d) second lever means including a lever holding rod, said means being .operably connected to the high priced vending member to releasably lock said high priced member in response to said high priced information,

(e) second pivot means mounting the second lever means on a horizontal axis to the frame,

(f) adjustable means on said frame for positioning said lever holding rods in contiguous relationship with the cam of the coin operated means for holding said first lever means in an inoperative position in response to said low priced information and said first and second lever means in inoperative positions in response to the high priced information, and

(g) means securing said adjustable means to the frame to vary the values of the low and high priced information.

2. A control linkage for a vending machine having low and high priced vending members movable between an in position and an out position comprising:

(a) a first lever means movable between a lock and unlock position and operably associated with said members to lock said members in the in position when the lever means is in the lock position,

(b) second lever means movable between a lock and unlock position and operably associated with said high priced member to selectively lock said member in the in position when the second lever means is in the lock position, said second lever means being adapted to lock said high priced member when the first lever means is in an unlocked position,

(0) coin operated means operably associated with said first and second lever means for selectively and concurrently holding said first and second lever means in an unlocked position, and

(d) means for adjusting the first and second lever means relative to said coin operated means whereby the machine can be adjusted to vary the range of the low and high priced articles.

3. In a control linkage for a vending machine having a frame, high and low priced article vending members movable between an in position and an out position, and a bar engageable with said vending members, said bar being slidably mounted in the frame for movement with said members,

(a) first lever means pivotally mounted on the frame and engageable with said bar to releasably lock said bar in the in position, and

(b) lock means pivotally mounted on the frame and operably associated with the high priced article vending member for releasably locking said member in the in position, said lock means engaging said bar and being moved from a lock to an unlock position in response to movement of the bar from the in position to the out position.

4. In a control linkage for a vending machine having a frame, high and low priced article vending members movable between an in position and an out position, and a bar engageable with said vending members, said bar being slidably mounted in the frame for movement with said members,

(a) first lever means pivotally mounted on the frame and engageable with said bar to releasably lock said bar in the in position,

(b) lock means pivotally mounted on the frame and operably associated with the high priced article vending member for releasably locking said member in the in position, said lock means engaging said bar and being moved from a lock to an unlock position in response to movement of the bar from the in position to the out position, and

(c) second lever means pivotally mounted on the frame and engageable with said lock means to hold said lock means in the lock position.

5. A mechanical control system for a vending machine having a frame, high and low priced article vending members movable between an in position and an out position, and a bar engageable with said vending members, said bar being slidably mounted in the frame for movement with said members comprising:

(a) coin operated means having a cam rotatable in response to monetary coins inserted therein to produce low and high priced information which is a function of the angular position of the cam,

( b) a first lever means pivotally mounted on the frame and engageable with said bar to lock said bar in the in position thereby holding said vending members in the in position, said first lever means being held out of locking engagement with the bar in response to both the low and high priced information,

() lock means pivotally mounted on the frame and operably associated with the high priced article vending members for releasably locking said member in the in position,

(d) second lever means pivotally mounted on the frame and engageable with said lock means to hold said lock means in the lock position and to release said lock means in response to said high priced information, and

(2) means adjustably secured to the frame to interconnect the first and second lever means with the coin operated means so that the range of the low and high priced information can be regulated.

6. A mechanical control system for a vending machine having a frame, high and low priced article vending members movable between an in position and an out position, and a bar engageable with said vending members, said bar being slidably mounted in the frame for movement with said members comprising:

(a) coin operated means having a cam rotatable in response to monetary coins inserted therein to produce low and high priced information which is a function of the angular position of the cam,

(b) a first lever means including a lever holding rod, said means being pivotally mounted on the frame and engageable with said bar to lock said bar in the in position thereby holding said vending members in the in position, said first lever means being held out of locking engagement with the bar in response to both the low and high priced information,

(c) lock means pivotally mounted on the frame and operably associated With the high priced article vending members for releasably locking said member in the in position,

(d) second lever means including a lever holding rod, said means being pivotally mounted on the frame and engageable with said lock means to hold said lock means in the lock position and to release said lock means in response to said high priced information,

(e) bracket means angularly positioning said lever holding rods in contiguous relationship with the cam of the coin operated means for holding said first lever means in an inoperative position in response to said low priced information and said first and second lever means in inoperative positions in response to the high priced information, and

(f) means adjustably securing the bracket means to the frame whereby the range of the low and high priced information can be changed.

7. A method of controlling the vending operation of a coin responsive machine adapted to separately vend a low priced article and a high priced article, said machine having at least one low priced vending member and at least one high priced vending member, each of said members being movable between an in position and an out position during the vending operation, comprising under the outlined conditions the steps of- Condition I-Non-vending operation:

(a) locking the high priced vending member in the in position,

(b) subsequently locking the low and high priced vending members in the in position in response to movement of either member toward the out position;

Condition II-Low priced article vending operation:

(a) producing low price information which is a function of the price of the low priced article,

(b) locking the high priced vending member in the in position,

(0) utilizing the low price information to permit a low priced vending member to be moved to the out position and to hold the high priced member locked in the in position during the first part of the movement of said low priced vending member toward the out position,

(d) locking all the vending members in the in position except the low priced vending member being moved toward the out position, and

(e) moving the low priced vending member back from the out position to the in position to dispense a low priced article;

Condition IIIHigh priced article vending operation:

(a) producing high price information which is a function of the price of the high priced article,

(b) utilizing the high price information to permit a high priced vending member to be moved to the out position,

(0) locking all the vending members in the in position except the high priced vending member being moved toward the out position, and

(d) moving the high priced vending member back from the out position to the in position to dispense a high priced article.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,993,581 Holstein et al. -Tuly 25, 1961 3,000,485 Du Grenier et a1. Sept. 19, 1961 3,028,940 Holstein et al Apr. 10, 1962 

1. A MECHANICAL CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A VENDING MACHINE HAVING A FRAME AND HIGH AND LOW PRICED ARTICLE VENDING MEMBERS COMPRISING: (A) COIN OPERATED MEANS HAVING A CAM ROTATABLE IN RESPONSE TO MONETARY COINS INSERTED THEREIN TO PRODUCE LOW AND HIGH PRICED INFORMATION WHICH IS A FUNCTION OF THE ANGULAR POSITION OF THE CAM, (B) FIRST LEVER MEANS INCLUDING A LEVER HOLDING ROD, SAID MEANS BEING OPERABLY CONNECTED TO THE ARTICLE VENDING MEMBERS TO RELEASABLY LOCK SAID MEMBERS IN A NON-VENDING POSITION IN RESPONSE TO BOTH THE LOW AND HIGH PRICED INFORMATION, (C) FIRST PIVOT MEANS MOUNTING THE FIRST LEVER MEANS ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS TO THE FRAME, (D) SECOND LEVER MEANS INCLUDING A LEVER HOLDING ROD, SAID MEANS BEING OPERABLY CONNECTED TO THE HIGH PRICED VENDING MEMBER TO RELEASABLY LOCK SAID HIGH PRICED MEMBER IN RESPONSE TO SAID HIGH PRICED INFORMATION, (E) SECOND PIVOT MEANS MOUNTING THE SECOND LEVER MEANS ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS TO THE FRAME, (F) ADJUSTABLE MEANS ON SAID FRAME FOR POSITIONING SAID LEVER HOLDING RODS IN CONTIGUOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CAM OF THE COIN OPERATED MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID FIRST LEVER MEANS IN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION IN RESPONSE TO SAID LOW PRICED INFORMATION AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND LEVER MEANS IN INOPERATIVE POSITIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE HIGH PRICED INFORMATION, AND (G) MEANS SECURING SAID ADJUSTABLE MEANS TO THE FRAME TO VARY THE VALUES OF THE LOW AND HIGH PRICED INFORMATION. 